The present invention relates to electronic dictionary and thesaurus tools generally and more particularly to applications which allow automatic retrieval of information from computerized electronic dictionary and thesaurus tools.
In typical applications of electronic dictionaries, a user is invited to type a word and to instruct an electronic dictionary to provide a translation of the word. Thus, during typing, each time the user looks for a translation of a word, he must interrupt typing and look for the word in the electronic dictionary.
In order to overcome such inconvenience, computerized dictionary and thesaurus tools which allow users to address computerized dictionaries interactively during typing and to employ the dictionaries in conjunction with automatic word recognition tools are required.
In a data sheet published by TechnoCraft Co. Ltd. on May 9, 1997, a product entitled xe2x80x9cRobowordxe2x80x9d is described. The Roboword is a multilingual dictionary tool which enables a user to point a mouse to any word on the computer screen, and the definition of the word will pop up immediately under the mouse pointer.
The present invention seeks to provide computerized dictionary and thesaurus tools which are applied with automatic word recognition tools.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing computerized translation of words including:
placing a pointer at a first region on a display;
detecting a string of characters displayed in the first region;
determining, in the string of characters, a word written in a first language by identifying an entry for the word in a computerized dictionary data base;
obtaining a translated word, representing a translation of the word in a second language, from the computerized dictionary data base; and
displaying the translated word at a second region on the display.
Additionally, the method also includes the steps of:
retrieving at least one of a synonym and an antonym to the word in the second language from a computerized thesaurus data base; and
displaying the at least one of a synonym and an antonym at a third region on the display.
Further additionally, the method also includes the steps of:
retrieving at least one of a picture, a drawing and an icon corresponding to the word from a graphical dictionary data base; and
displaying the at least one of a picture, a drawing and an icon at a selected region on the display.
Preferably, the method also includes the steps of:
if the word is not found in at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base, and the graphical dictionary data base, automatically searching a computerized misspeller dictionary data base in the second language for a match of the word to a represented misspelled word in the computerized misspeller dictionary data base; and
displaying a correctly spelled word in the second language which corresponds to the word at a fourth region on the display.
Additionally, the method also includes the step of displaying a message indicating that the word is misspelled, and that a correct spelling of the word includes the correctly spelled word.
Preferably, the determining step includes:
performing a spell-check on the word versus at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base;
determining that there is no entry for the word if the spell-check outputs an error indicating that the word is not found in any of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base; and
determining that there is an entry for the word if the spell-check outputs an indication that the word is found in at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base.
Preferably, the step of determining that there is no entry for the word includes the step of displaying a message indicating that there is no entry available for the word on the display.
Additionally, the method also includes the step of displaying a message indicating that there is no text in the first region if the first region is a blank area.
Further additionally, the method includes the step of displaying an unrecognized word message if the first region includes an item which does not include a text.
Preferably, at least two of the following regions: the second region, the third region, and the fourth region include a common area. The second region and the third region may preferably include a common area.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method also includes the step of linking at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base, the graphical dictionary data base and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base to a pronunciation guide for providing a pronunciation of the word.
Additionally, the method also includes the step of linking at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base, the graphical dictionary data base and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base to a phrase guide to retrieve at least a phrase which includes the word.
Further additionally, the method also includes the step of providing a coding scheme which indicates which one of the computerized dictionary data base and the computerized thesaurus data base is currently activated.
Preferably, the coding scheme includes at least one of a color coding and a letter coding of a selection icon which is employed to select one of the following data bases: the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base, the graphical dictionary data base and any combination thereof.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first language is identical to the second language, and the translated words includes a meaning of the word.
Preferably, the detecting step includes:
selecting a first window in which translation of words is required, and a second window in which translation of words is not required; and
ignoring text written in the first region, if the first region is in the second window, and detecting a string of characters displayed in the first region, if the first region is in the first window.
Additionally, the method also includes the steps of:
providing a grammar analysis of the word; and
displaying results of the grammar analysis on the display.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing thesaurus data corresponding to selected words, the method including:
placing a pointer on a first region on a display;
detecting a string of characters displayed in the first region;
determining, in the string of characters, a word written in a first language by identifying an entry for the word in a computerized thesaurus data base;
obtaining at least one of a synonym and an antonym to the word in the second language from the computerized thesaurus data base; and
displaying the at least one of a synonym and an antonym to the word in the second language at a second region on the display.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for providing a computerized translation of a word including:
scanning a text to obtain a scanned text;
placing a pointer at a first region on a display which includes a portion of the scanned text;
operating a character recognition procedure to detect a string of characters displayed in the first region;
determining, in the string of characters, a word written in a first language by identifying an entry for the word in a computerized dictionary data base;
retrieving a translated word, representing a translation of the word in a second language, from the computerized dictionary data base; and
displaying the translated word at a second region on display.
Preferably, the scanned text includes an image of the text. The text may preferably include a handwritten text, and the scanned text may include an image of the handwritten text.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing character and word recognition of a word pointed at by a pointer, the word being located in a bounding rectangle which includes a plurality of words printed in at least one language and in at least one format, the method including:
obtaining coordinates and dimensions of the bounding rectangle, the at least one language, the at least one format and characters which form each of the plurality of words;
scanning the bounding rectangle to obtain at least locations of each of characters which form the word;
determining the characters which form the word based on at least one of the locations of each of the characters which form the word, the coordinates and dimensions of the bounding rectangle, the at least one language and the at least one format; and
identifying the word based on the determining step.
The at least one format may preferably include a font format.
Preferably, the scanning step includes scanning the bounding rectangle to obtain locations of each of characters which form words in the vicinity of the word, and the identifying step includes the step of identifying the word based at least one of the locations of each of the characters which form words in the vicinity of the word, the coordinates and dimensions of the bounding rectangle, the at least one language and the at least one format.
Further preferably, the word includes a series of characters written in a first language, and the identifying step includes distinguishing between characters in the series of characters which have similar structures to characters written in a second language by determining that the word is written in the first language.
In a case that the word is partly covered, the identifying step may include identifying the partly covered word by determining the characters which form the word.
Preferably, the word includes special characters, such at least one of the following special characters: colored characters; bold characters; characters written in italics; characters having different sizes; characters having different font types; and overstrike characters, and the identifying step includes identifying the special characters by determining the characters which form the word.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a computerized translator including:
a character recognition module which is operative to detect a string of characters displayed at a first region on a display which is selected by a user, and to determine, in the string of characters, a word written in a first language;
a computerized dictionary data base; and
a processor coupled to the character recognition module and to the computerized dictionary data base, and operative to determine whether there is an entry for the word in the computerized dictionary data base, to retrieve from the computerized dictionary data base a translated word, representing a translation of the word in a second language, and to display the translated word at a second region on the display.
Additionally, the computerized translator includes a computerized thesaurus data base which is coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is operative to obtain at least one of a synonym and an antonym to the word in the second language from the computerized thesaurus data base, and to display the at least one of a synonym and an antonym in the second language at a third region on the display.
Preferably, the computerized translator includes a computerized misspeller dictionary data base in the second language which is coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is operative, upon determination that the word is not found in at least one of the computerized dictionary data base and the computerized thesaurus data base, to search the computerized misspeller dictionary data base for a match of the word to a corresponding misspelled word in the computerized misspeller dictionary data base, and to display a correctly spelled word in the second language, which corresponds to the word, at a fourth region on the display.
Additionally, the computerized translator includes a pronunciation guide which is linked to at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base, and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base, and is operative to provide a pronunciation of the word.
Further additionally, the computerized translator includes a phrase guide which is linked to at least one of the computerized dictionary data base, the computerized thesaurus data base, and the computerized misspeller dictionary data base, and is operative to provide at least a phrase which includes the word.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is also provided a computerized translator including:
a scanner for scanning a text to obtain a scanned text;
a character recognition module which is coupled to the scanner and is operative to detect a string of characters displayed at a first region on a display which is selected by a user and includes a portion of the scanned text, and to determine, in the string of characters, a word written in a first language;
a computerized dictionary data base; and
a processor coupled to the scanner, to the character recognition module and to the computerized dictionary data base, and operative to determine whether there is an entry for the word in the computerized dictionary data base, to retrieve from the computerized dictionary data base a translated word, representing a translation of the word in a second language, and to display the translated word at a second region on the display.
Preferably, the scanned text includes an image of the text. The text may preferably include a handwritten text, and the scanned text may include an image of the handwritten text.